Was my car a former movie star???Hot Rods to Hell (1967)

A buddy of mine called and said that a roadster in Hot Rods from Hell looks similar to a hot rod body I have. I bought the body from lownrusty who got it from a widow in the Bay area and she had no history, however the other car they had was a documented 32 Barris roadster reciepts and paper work. She would not part with that car but sold the roadster below. Here is a you tube clip and pics of my body. The car is a 26-27 T roadster with model a quarter panels drafted to the body. The wheel wells were filled and it came with these crazy wishbones all chrome. Anybody have any info, if nothing else my body is very similar.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=BsSVIbm-Ctc

 

Well,..... My "Fischer-Price" computer is unable to play the clip,..... but the car is very cool.

 

I don't know...but here's the vid.

 

the "hair-bones" hairpin/ wishbones, are very unique, if you find an image with a side view you can compare them, the body does look similar.

 

I emailed him so I will be curious if he has any information. I need to see the real movie myself and I hope I can see the details enough. The youtube clips are grainy, but if I can see the wishbones I think it would really help.

 

Sand a bit of your paint and look for that dark green. And are there holes above the current location where the 58 Chevy taillights might have been? They look like they were probably about 5 inches higher.

 

Here is the paint, it looks green, the car was also red at some point. It is difficult to see if there are holes located in the back as there is some inner structure. Any way I need to polish the spot and see what it looks like with a bit of shine.

 

the quarter panels on the T in the movie are smooth. I paused the movie a couple times, but couldnt get a good shot of the side to see the wishbones.
Best luck is to contact the website guy...

 

I emailed the website guy and have not heard anything. I also contacted Barris Customs to see if they knew anything. Joji Barris told me that they would do research on the car for $750 which is a bit more that I care to spend especially being there is no guarentees of results. Oh well, I understand place have to make money I was just hoping since they are obviously connected in TV and movie cars maybe they would know something.

 

That lower pan where the taillights are doesn't look the same as the movie car but it looks like it may have been added later. otherwise it looks pretty close.

 

Stay away from Barris, he'll screw you without a Thank-you.

 

Barris will say he built it even if he didnt.

 

those wishBONES are really cool. I saw some similar to that on a car at the
Pileup and plan on doing something similar on my Roadster.

 

Ha! I've seen that movie.

That blonde chick on the Corvette is crazy.

Good luck on your search.

 

It sure looks like it to me, from what I can see in the fuzzy video clips.

I'm amazed that Dana Andrews is playing the dad in this movie. How do you go from "The Best Years of Our Lives", "The Oxbow Incident", and "Laura" to "Hot Rods to Hell"? I suppose he had bills to pay and wanted to work. I was just surprised.

 

I have this movie somewhere, maybe on VHS . Anyway, it's coming on TCM April 22, I will make a DVD of it for you.

 

bttt

 

Thanks for the info, my old 29' is in the clip, the one with white interior and
Halibrand mags, six carbs on an Olds. Still have the roadster. Bob

 

Did you own the car when the movie was filmed? If you have any information on the car that looks like it could be mine, I would appreciate it! Thanks.

I spoke with the guy on the web that owns hotrodstohell.com and he sent me some still off of a video, but it is still to blurry. I am working with the Archive at the Academy of Motion Pictures to see if they have any still of the car, or other information when it was on set.

 

I remember watching Hot Rods to Hell on the Speed Channel back when it was called Speedvision and they had old drive-in movies on Saturday nights. I know I taped it, but now I have to figure out where I put it.

 

While looking through the July '60 issue of Hot Rod Mag, I think I have found your car featured.
It was owned by Gary Heliker from Lawndale Calif. and had a 55 Buick engine with three carbs. It even mentioned that it was painted candy burgandy before the green. Your post was of interest to me because a friend Oldrod has a former LA Roadster car that showed momentarely at the begining of the movie. If you PM him, I'm sure he can give you more detail.

deChrome

 

As I was looking through the July "60 issue of Hot Rod Mag, i found a feature of your car. The car belonged to Gary Heliker of Lakeland Calif. The car had a 55 Buick engine with three carbs. It even stated that it was previously candy burgandy prior to the green paint.
I was interested in this car because a friend, Oldrod, has a former LA Roadster car that was in the very begining of that movie. If you PM hin, he probably give you more detail.

deChrome

 

Here's some pics of Gary Helikers T from R&C May, 1962.

I don't believe this is Luckys car, as his seems to have a model A rear quarters added to the model T bucket, whereas Gary's seems to be a model T turtle deck with the trunk lid welded shut and F-85 taillights installed.
The hairpins seem to be different and when gary channeled his car he welded it solid to the deuce frame.
See what you think.

Mick

 

Ive got Hot rods to hell on tivo, ill have to put it in slow motion, what part of the movie was it in?

some reason this sounds familiar, i think i was watching the movie and thought about you car and paused it but i cant remember!!

ill take a peak.

jeff

 

Thanks Mick...you are correct that is not my car. It was hard to tell from the movie shots. Thanks for the help!

 

Hey Lucky, First I'd like to say that your rod is ace but I don't thinks it's the Heliker rod either. I spoke to Von Franco (via e-mail) a few years back about the Heliker rod. It can be seen in full colour on the inside page of Andy Southards 'Hot rods of the 60's'. Franco had considered the Heliker rod as a possible project before doing the Anderegg 'Golden T' clone. It's one of my all time favourite roadsters and I've built a similar style body using a '27 tub with a modified '24 T deck (in glass) as I plan to build a Heliker style roaster. I had wondered what ever happened to the Heliker rod? I believe Franco tried to track it down to no avail. Anyone any idea's as to it's whereabouts? Good luck with your own cool and unique rod

Fuelerboy

 

All I know is, I love how the hoodlums in that clip are all clean cut with button up shirts. If they made that movie today, even the old couple with the kids would prolly be covered in tats and piercings! LOL

 

After closer inspection, it looks like there are two cars with very similar styles. It almost looks like both were built by the same person. The rear quarters are differen't but the wheelwells are filled on both. It is interesting to investigate their origins.

deChrome

 

For those of you frantically looling through your past issues of Hot Rod trying to find the Gary Heliker car, my appologies. It was late when I replied to this thread and I not only misread the year but thought the post didn't go through and double posted. To clear up the confusion, I will try again.
The Gary Heliker car was in the July 1962 issue and he was from Lawndale Calif.
So did the same person build both cars or did one inspire the other (earky cloning) or did great minds think alike and too unrelated people build very similar cars.

deChrome

 

Barris will say he built it even if he didnt.
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Too true. And it will only cost you $750 for him to say so.